U.S. forces have attacked a commercial oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf, firing a Hellfire missile into the vessel’s engine room after it refused to comply with the illegal U.S. blockade.
CENTCOM confirmed the strike on the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie on June 2, as the unladen tanker transited international waters toward Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal. The U.S. regime claims the crew ignored repeated warnings over a 24-hour period before a U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel. The USA has no legal basis for such attacks, holding no legal jurisdiction, nor any UN approval to launch the attack.
The Lexie carried no cargo, according to CENTCOM. Attacking objects that presented no threat seems to be the USA’s new standard, having launched the Iran war without any threat from Iran, as well as a killing spree on the sea that has now killed over 200 people.
The attack comes as a fragile April 8 ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran remains, by the U.S. regime’s own assessment, on “life support.” Iran has repeatedly described the blockade as a potential ceasefire violation. Iran pulled out of negotiations yesterday, citing Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon and Gaza, with a promise to return to the table should Israel follow the ceasefires they agreed to.
Under international law, a naval blockade imposed without UN Security Council authorisation and enforced against third-country vessels in international waters constitutes an act of war. The M/T Lexie is not an Iranian vessel. Botswana is not a party to any conflict with the United States. Its crew was given a choice between compliance and a missile.
CENTCOM frames this as enforcement, let us be clear, it is an attack on an innocent ship, and a fresh incitement to the Iranian government.
